Childhood is a funny thing...
As parents, we spend days (or weeks) building up to what we think should be a very special moment. Birthdays, Halloween, Christmas-- we have these pre-conceived notions for what the day should look like, sound like, feel like. We envision rosy faces gathered around the candles on a birthday cake. We imagine four costume-clad toddlers lined up and all looking at the camera at the same time. We hope to be able to read "The Night Before Christmas" by the light of a besparkled tree, cup of hot chocolate in hand, the whole way through without interruption.
Usually, those visions come up short. Birthday cakes melt in the late-summer sun. Children refuse to wear the itchy tutus on their Halloween costumes. A too-long Christmas Eve sermon by the long-winded pastor at church means a toddler is too tired and too cranky for even the first page of a cherished book, let alone the whole thing.
Sigh.
But our children still build memories; they might not be the memories we as parents planned on, but they're memories nonetheless.
Take July 4th--
It's become routine for my parents to come into town to spend America's birthday with DH, G, & me. We spend the afternoon lounging around G's tiny plastic backyard pool (why fight the crowds at the pool we actually pay to use?), we eat a traditionally "American" dinner at our favorite Mexican restaurant (what's more patriotic than fajitas and enchiladas?), then we head over to the local elementary school playground to battle thousands of other families for a 4x4 foot patch of crunchy, sun-dried grass, where we are subsequently attacked by a breed of mosquitoes I'm pretty sure are extinct up north.
Ahhhh, summer...
DH, my mother, and I spent the entire weekend getting G excited (re: not scared) for the fireworks. We implemented a Dora-like quality to the evening: dinner, sunset, fireworks! Dinner, sunset, fireworks! Boots would have been proud.
By the time the sun went to sleep (did I mention G is obsessed with the nocturnal habits of Mr. Golden Sun?), G was amped up and ready to go. As the band played (the most out-of-tune version of) the National Anthem, we quietly told her the fireworks were about to begin and handed her a special surprise reserved only for July 4th, Halloween, and New Year's:
We could have stayed at home. We could have skipped the dinner, the crowds, the live music, the $6 sno-cones DH and my dad waited in line for 45 minutes to buy, the evening of romping under the stars. We could have all had an early bedtime, and watched the 11pm news. The fireworks were not necessary.
G quickly decided that her glow sticks were magic. With a wave of her hand and the words "Bibbity Bobbity Boo" (actually, it sounded more like "bibby boo" coming out of her mouth, but the Cinderella reference was not lost on this Disney-loving mother), G was able to command the fireworks to explode with a bang. She was so fixated on her "magic wand" that she didn't even notice when the fireworks ended, and everyone picked up their blankets, lawn chairs, and coolers and booked it to the exit. As I carried her, racing to the car to beat the post-show traffic, she proudly waved her wand screaming, "Magic wand, make more fireworks!" (aka, "Ma wan, ma mo figh wok!").
When she woke up Monday morning, the first thing G asked for was her magic wand. Even though the Dollar Tree glow sticks had lost their ability to self-illuminate, they hadn't lost their ability to elicit joy from my toddler.
She won't remember the fireworks, but I will. I'll remember how they lit up her face, as I watched her, watching the night sky, commanding it into an ephemeral majesty. The wand itself might not be magic... but the power my daughter has on me absolutely is.
What a sweet post! Loved it!
Aww, so cute! But it's the memories, right? LOL
it is magical. and it's funny b/c we're thinking about taking the kids to disney world soon and most people say, well, they won't really remember it. but i think moments like that are more for the parents. OUR faces light up when we see our KIDS faces light up. and that is worth it.
This totally cracks me up! We didn't think J would get into this year either, but he did. DH felt so bad, as J ran from the front door to the back door to look out the glass... Since he was all bathed, and mommy was fast asleep in his bed, DH didn't want to grease him up with bug spray...
I do recall J saying at one point...
"Mommy get up! Fire Mommy! Fire!"
To which I tried to clarify "Fireworks", but not sure if it stuck, as I was just exhausted.
But I do agree... These are the unexpected priceless memories!
True Elizabeth. We spend lots of time and energy picking out the perfect gift, and the kids are just as happy skipping stones.
The glowsticks at night in the pool (when we are at a home at the beach with a pool) is always a big hit as well.
What a cute story! : )
I know one thing that my husband used to love when he was little was his light blue pin stripe suit with a red bow tie...oh, and...it also had shorts. Yep, apparently the guy thought he was pretty hot stuff when he wore it.
It's great to be a kid. You don't care what you wear, what you look like, or who you hang out with. You just want a little something to keep you entertained for hours.
Nothing is more "American" than Mexican food! Yum!
Glow sticks really are the best! Halloween the kids got to carry them around when trick or treating with the cousins and that is all they cared about!
Nothing ever goes as planned but that is the fun part!
That's so cute!! I can't think of any magical moments right now but I'll get back to ya if I do :P
How precious that she thought she was orchestrating the fireworks with her magic wand. That is a precious memory!
ah that is a grand story
i LOVE that she had a magic wand....what a great post :)
awww, this is so sweet =) I love that she used her glow stick like a wand, that is adorable! I remember the first couple of years with the twins~ they would just stare up at the fireworks in amazement. Then, last year they freaked out and screamed the whole time. It might be a few years before we try that again ;)
This is so sweet!!
It is sometimes the simple things. Today my girls 'decorated' for a 'dance party' we had. The living room walls are still covered with their artwork that they asked to make ALL DAY LONG. :-)
Aww, that is so sweet. My little guy didn't care much for the fireworks either but he likes his "sword". The sword is a red glow stick from the dollar store. But he too looked his barely lit stick on Monday morning and night for bedtime.
It's the simple things that they enjoy more so than the elaborate stuff we give them. Just like cardboard boxes being more fun than a battery powered toy.
I love this post.
I totally identify with trying to make everything perfect, make it live up to that image in our mind, and then it never quite working out that way.
Such a sweet story. =)
Great post! You are spot on! :)
As parents, we sometimes need to slow down and step back and simply enjoy the moment with our kids, rather than striving to do the best, the biggest, the coolest, etc... It's the simple pleasures that provide the happiest memories!
:)
Annette
www.mammakerr.com
WHat a great summer story. I was debating about taking my son this year but I thought one more year to insure that he isn't afraid.
Too cute! Charlie was similarly enthralled with his glow stick, but once the fireworks started he was a hysterical mess. No one ended up enjoying the fireworks this year. Even days later it's always "fireworks all gone!" at nightfall.
Precious!!! So glad you shared with us. So sweet the things they say!!
What a magical post! I loved that she tried to command the fireworks with her "wand". It sounds like you will remember the magic of that night for a long time.